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Convention travel documents

Schedule 2 - Diplomatic Passport waiver programme

A holder of a diplomatic passport issued by a State or territorial entity specified below is not required to have a visa to enter Ireland

People’s Republic of China

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Schedule 3 - Visa waiver programme

If you’re a citizen of one of these countries and you meet Visa Waiver Programme requirements, you may be able to travel on to Ireland from the UK without the need to obtain a separate Irish visa.

If not, you’ll need to apply for an entry visa before you travel to Ireland.

Bahrain

Montenegro

Serbia

Belarus

Oman

Thailand

Bosnia and Herzegovina

People’s Republic of China

Turkey

India

Qatar

Ukraine

Kazakhstan

Russian Federation

Uzbekistan

Kuwait

Saudi Arabia

NOTE: This also applies to nationals of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates who have entered the United Kingdom on foot of a C-visit Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW)

Schedule 4 - British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)

United Kingdom visitors who are – nationals of a state or territorial entity specified in Schedule 4, AND holders of a visa issued by the competent authorities of the United Kingdom that is endorsed by those authorities with the letters “BIVS”

India

People’s Republic of China

Schedule 5 - Transit Visas

If you are a citizen of one of these countries, you will need to apply for a transit visa:

Afghanistan

Georgia

Nigeria

Albania

Ghana

Somalia

Cuba

Iran

Sri Lanka

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Iraq

Ukraine

Eritrea

Lebanon

Zimbabwe

Ethiopia

Moldova, Republic of

* Requirement for a transit visa waived for Ethiopian nationals transiting through the State via Dublin Airport to/from the USA and Canada.

Overview

You need to:

1. Complete the online application form2. Gather your documentation (check the menu option on the left of this page on “Type of Visa and Supporting Documentation”).3. Get your passport photograph. Check here for photo requirements.4. Check the “Fees” information on this page and pay the appropriate fee to the Embassy.5. Compile your application, which must include:

The online summary sheet signed by you, with photo affixed to the top-left corner

Current passport and any previous passports (or copies of previous passports if originals unavailable

All required supporting documents

6. The online application system will automatically request you to submit your documentation to the Embassy.

Information note to assist applicants with the online application form

An information note has been prepared to assist applicants completing the online application form. This is available in:

The onus is on you, the applicant, to ensure that your application is fully complete before submitting it for consideration. You should note that if you submit an incomplete application, it may result in your application being refused.

Remember…

If you submit false or misleading information in support of your application, you may become liable for prosecution and/or deportation.

Need more information?

A comprehensive list of the different visa types that are available, and the documentation required in respect of each, is available from the INIS website.

For ease of reference, separate links for some of the most common visa types are set out below.

Travelling to Ireland as a tourist

If you are a visa-required national and you would like to visit Ireland for a short period (90 days or less) you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Visit/Holiday Visa applications from INIS.

For further information on tourism in Ireland please visit the website of Tourism Ireland.

Travelling to Ireland as a Family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens seeking to apply under Directive 2004/38/EC (Free Movement Directive)

Please refer to INIS for details and comprehensive information regarding this type of application.

Travelling to Ireland on business

Business meeting

If you are a visa-required national and coming to Ireland for a business meeting you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Business Visa applications on INIS.

Conference

If you are a visa-required national and coming to Ireland for a conference, you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Conference Visa applications on INIS.

Starting a business in Ireland

If you are a visa-required national and you wish to set up a business in Ireland, you will require Business Permission from the Department of Justice and Equality, prior to applying for your visa. Find more information on the INIS website.

Studying in Ireland

If you require an entry visa for Ireland and would like to study there, you will find useful guidelines and details of requirements for Study Visa applications on INIS.

Please note that Malawi kwacha fees for passports are regularly updated to keep in line with the official Euro fee level.

Payment must be made in cash in Malawi Kwacha at the time the application is lodged with the Embassy.

Once a visa application is lodged for processing, the processing fee cannot be refunded.

No fee required

Some applicants don't have to pay a fee for their visa. These include visa-required spouses and certain family members of EEA citizens (including Irish nationals). You must provide proof of the relationship with the application. Holders of EU family cards are also exempt from payment.

In addition, applicants from the countries listed below don't have to pay a fee:

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Kyrgyzstan

Sri Lanka

Cote d'Ivoire

Montenegro

Tunisia

Ecuador

Morocco

Uganda

Indonesia

Peru

Zambia

Jamaica

Republic of Macedonia

Kosovo

Serbia

Note - The fee is waived for applications for short stay visas from nationals of the countries included in the Visa Waiver Programme who are resident in the Schengen area. See schedule 2 of the Who needs a Visa tab for a list of countries who qualify for this waiver. This includes the following countries:

My application has been refused

If your application has been refused and you still want to travel to Ireland, you can:

Appeal the decision or

Make a new application

If you decide to make a new application, your previous application history may be taken into account.

Appealing the decision

You'll be sent a letter outlining the reasons for refusal. If you believe the decision is wrong, you can make an appeal within two months of receiving the refusal notice.

How do I make an appeal?

Your appeal must be made in writing to the address specified in the letter you have received. Appeals may only be lodged by you (or your guardian if a minor) and must be signed by you. Faxed or emailed appeals will not be considered.

You should:

Address each refusal reason in your appeal

Supply clear and relevant evidence in your appeal to support your application

Include any further information or documentation with your appeal letter

Be aware that provision of the additional information/documentation doesn't guarantee approval

The review

The Appeals Officer will review your application, taking account of any additional information or documentation that you have supplied.

On examination and review the original decision may be reversed. The Appeals Officer will notify you in writing when the decision is made and in general, a decision should issue within 4-6 weeks.

Is there a charge?

Immigration control

An Irish visa is not an entry permission. It's a document giving you permission to present at a port of entry to ask to be admitted to Ireland.

All non-EEA citizens, whether they need a visa or not, will be subject to ordinary immigration controls at the port of entry.

Additional documents

As well as your visa, an Immigration Officer may ask to see additional information such as:

Accommodation bookings

Return flights

Contacts in Ireland

Length of stay

The Immigration Officer at the port of entry will decide your length of stay by stamping your passport; which will reflect the purpose of your journey and the amount of time you are allowed to stay in the State.

The validity period shown on your visa indicates the dates between which you must travel to Ireland. These dates are NOT the dates between which you're permitted to remain in Ireland.

Staying over three months

If you need a visa to enter Ireland and you want to stay longer than 90 days, apply for a 'D' type visa before you travel. Permission to enter on the basis of a 'C' type visa will not give you permission to remain beyond a 90 day period.

Conditions of your visa

Under Irish law, you're not allowed to engage in any activity or to remain in Ireland for any purpose other than that for which your visa or permission to remain was granted.

Overstaying your visa

If you stay in Ireland longer than your permission to remain permits, you could be liable for prosecution and/or deportation.

Change of activity

If you want to undertake any activity in Ireland other than that for which your visa was granted you must leave the country and apply for a new visa. You can’t return to Ireland while you're waiting for a decision on your new application.